1. OPEN SPACE PLANNING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK

2. OPEN SPACE PLANNING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK
Presented by Richard Smardon, Ph.D.
Professor/Chair Faculty of Environmental Studies at SUNY/ESF
Taught open space course for 6 years with John Felleman
Member of Save-the-County Land Trust for 20 years plus twice past president

3. OPEN SPACE PLANNING in CNY
Outline of Presentation
Why do open space planning? functions/values
What should be inventoried: data needs?
What planning process should be used? and
Who should be involved?
What tools and resources are available?
What are other communities doing?
Who are the potential partners?
What happens after ownership?

4. Why do open space planning?
Growth control - an issue for some areas
Public health and safety,eg. floodplains and coastal areas subject to storm damage
Biodiversity protection-fauna, flora, habitat
Recreational access for residents & tourists
Community character protection - includes historic, cultural and aesthetic interests

5. North American Greenways
Connecting open space & habitat
Multi-nodal transportation
Aesthetics and recreation
Air and water quality maintenance
Urban climate amelioration
Supported by some government programs and private land trusts

6. What should be inventoried? which functions did you choose?
Data on land development/infrastructure $
Spatial mapping data: floodplains,water bodies, wetlands, watersheds
Spatial data on flora, fauna, habitats
Recreational facility location/usage data
Historical, cultural and aesthetic landscape spatial and perceptual data

7. Example of infrastructure inventory

8. Example of open space inventory
Biological diversity inventory from Rhinebeck, NY
Involved exhaustive biological inventory of the town area

9. What planning process?
Open space planning as part of comprehensive plan?
Multiple purpose open space planning ?
Or single purpose open space plan?
How to structure the process?
Expert driven rational process
Consensus based participatory process

10. Visioning Process for the Onondaga Creek Sub-Basin Revitalization Plan
Review the
‘State of the
Creek’
Perform the
visioning process
steps
Get acquainted
with the Creek
Tour the Creek
Understand the 8 segments:
Functions
Uses
Values
Water quality and quantity
Climate and physical effects
Soils, vegetation, and wildlife
Discover critical elements
Analyze their compatibility
Explore alternatives
Evaluate and refine
Develop plan

11. Open space planning process?
NY guide for local open space planning
Addresses open space planning alone or as part of comprehensive plan
Also addresses many of the tools in NYS

12. Who should be involved? Local government? State government?
Non-government organizations?
Local citizens?
Partnerships?
All of the above?

13. What tools are available?
Acquisition of fee simple or development rights
Voluntary easements, covenants, gifts and donations
Taxation policy:
Ag districts, forest tax law + local reduced assessments
Local regulatory
Zoning
Site plan approval
Subdivision
Cluster development/PUD
SEQR- critical area designation

14. Financing open space implementation
Local sources
Dedicated revenue
Local bond acts
County/local capitol funding
Gifts and donations
Partnerships with land trusts
State/Federal sources
Environ.Protection Fund
Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Federal Programs

15. What are other communities doing?
Burlington, Vermont
Saratoga County, New York
Rhinebeck, New York
Other examples of greenspace planning around the country

16. Burlington,Vt. Open Space Plan

17. Saratoga Co. Open Space Plan

18. Rhinebeck, NY - open space as part of the comprehensive plan

19. Example: North American Biodiversity Plan
Chicago Wilderness: Biodiversity Recovery Plan
1: Executive Summary
2: Values of Biodiversity
3: Biodiversity Challenge
4: Assessment Processes
5: Terrestrial Communities
6: Aquatic Communities
7: Endangered/Threatened
8: Preserving land/water
9: Management, Research & Monitoring
10: Education/ Communication
11: Role of Key Players

20. Visited trails and Greenways Towpath, Erie Canal, OH

21. Visited trails and Greenways Natural Trails, Portland metropolitan area, OR

22. Visited trails and Greenways Center for Wooden Boats, Blueways in Seattle, WA

23. Visited trails and Greenways Urban Greenways, South Plate River, Denver, CO

24. Open space planning in CNY
Manlius has already enacted key legislation
Could utilize sorting of priority open space functions and values
Could utilize prioritized sorting of key open space areas/properties
Then look at tools available to protect these areas with strategic partnerships

25. Manlius Greenspace Coalition

26. Land Trust Alliance

27. STC-local land trust

28. STC-local properties

29. More STC Properties

30. Trust for Public Land

31. The Nature Conservancy

32. Onondaga Nation

33. Smart Communities Network

34. Practical Issues after ownership
Monitoring and maintenance
Fostering stewardship -who does it?
Whose liability?
Examples of physical management issues
The dam at Austin Wildlife Preserve
Access improvements-trails, signs,etc.
Clean up
Vegetation/habitat management

35. Instilling stewardship is key!